Sofa chair and bed combination



Dec. 9, 1952 E. WOLLER SOFA CHAIR AND BED COMBINATION Filed July 29,1947 2 SHEET SSHEET 1 U) Mam. I afwmg%m Dec. 9, 1952 E. E. WOLLER I SOFACHAIR AND BED COMBINATION 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed July 29, 1947 PatentedDec. 9, 1952 UNITED STATE SOFA CHAIR AND BED COMBINATION Edward E.Woller, Kenosha, V Wis, assignor to Simmons Company, New York, N. Y., acorporation of Delaware Application July 29, 1947, Serial No. 764,285

4 Claims.

The main objects of this invention are, to provide an improved type ofcollapsible or fold-away bed unit; to provide a bed unit of this kindparticularly adapted for use in association with sofatype furniture forconverting it from its normal sofa use to a bed; to provide an improvedtrundletype bed unit of this kind adapted for convenient stowage underthe sofa furniture wherewith it is associatable for bed conversionpurposes; to provide a bed unit of this kind with an improved foldablesectional bed bottom whereby the unfolding of said bed-bottom sectionsinto coplanar relationship automatically elevates and disposes saidsections at theproper height to cooperate with the sofa furniture toform a full-sized bed; to provide an improved sectional bed-bottom unitof this kind which may be used for'a bed completely disassociated fromthe sofa furniture under which the bed unit is normally stowed; toprovide improved latching means for anchoring said bed unit at the sideof the sofa furniture when it is to be associated therewith to form abed; to provide improved means actuated by said bedbottom sections forautomatically controlling the action of said latching means; and toprovide an improved form of foldable trundle bed section embodying theseseveral features particularly suitable for use with a two-unit separablesofa and chair ensemble.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a two-unit separable sofa and chairensemble wherewith an improved trundle bed unit embodying this inventionis adapted for use in converting said ensemble into a full-sized bed. Inthis view the sofa and chair are shown in their separated positions withthe trundle bed stowed under the sofa unit;

Fig- 2 is a front elevation of the sofa-chair ensemble with the trundlebed removed and supporting the sofa and chair unit cushions in positionto convert the sofa-chair ensemble and trundle bed unit into afull-sized bed;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the assembly as shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the trundle bed unit with the bed-bottomsections in their elevated coplanar relationship preparatory to havingthe sofa-chair cushions placed thereon;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the trundle bed unit with the bed-bottomsections in their 001- lapsed or folded superimposed. positions forstowage under the'sofa unit;

Fig.6 is an enlarged fragmentaryplan view of the trundle bed unit with:the bed-bottom sections in their extended coplan'ar'positions; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view showing thelocking means whereby the trundle bed unit is anchored at the side ofthe sofa unit.

A convertible sofa-seat trundle-bed combination embodying this inventioncomprises a sofa unit 8, a chair or seat unit 9, and a trundle bed unitIt. The sofa and chair units, with the trundle bed unit stowed under theformer, may be used'in separated relationship or in associatedrelationship as a lounge or davenport, from which latter relationshipthey may be converted into a full-sized bed when the trundle bed unit iswithdrawn and unfolded.

Except for their dimensions the sofa unit 8 and the chair unit 9 are ofpractically the same construction. Each embodies, respectively, a baseframe H or H, an end I2 or I 2, and a back [3 or l3, supported on pairsof legs l4 or I l and I5 or I5 wherein is mounted a mattress section Itor IS in turn supporting seat cushions E7 or H and back cushions ill or18'.

The frames II and H for these two units are of more or less the sameconstruction- As shown in Fig. '7, such framework preferably is made ofangle iron members so as to support the mattress section It or It asufficient distance from the floor to provide stowage space for thetrundle bed unit It under the sofa unit 8.

The mattress sections [6 and It may be of any suitable upholsteredspring construction. The seat cushions ll and IT likewise may be of anysuitable construction, preferably spring, and of a thickness so that, aswill appear more fully hereinafter, when the trundle bed unit I0 iswithdrawn and theb-ed-bottom sections are unfolded into their elevatedcoplanar positions and the cushions I1 and I7 are laid thereon (as shownin Fig. 2) the upper surface of the cushions l1 and fl will be in theplane of the upper surface of the mattress section I6 and It, thusforming a full, double-size, spring mattress bed.

Face boards 19 and [9' are arranged along the front of the frames l Iand l I, below the mattress section it and It, so as to provide afinished appearance to these pieces of furniture. As will appear clearlyfrom Fig. 3, the facing I9 is secured to the trundle bed unit l8 and, ofcourse, moves with the unit when. it is withdrawn from its stowedposition.

The trundle bed unit it comprises a frame 253 whereon is mounted a mainbed-bottom section 2! and an auxiliary bed-bottom section 22 hingedlyconnected together at 23 whereby, through the medium ofposition-adjusting mechanism 24, the bed-bottom sections 2| and 22 maybe collapsed or folded onto the frame 20 for stowage of the trundle-bedunit l under the sofa unit 8, or may be elevated in coplanar position atthe side of the sofa unit and to which it may be anchored byautomatically-actuated latch means 25.

Th frame 23 is of more orless conventional construction. Preferably itis formed of angle bars and of an over-all length approximately equal tothe over-all longitudinal dimension of the mattress section [6 of thesofa unit 8,. Casters 23 permit the frame and its supported parts to berolled into and out of stfiwai e position under the frame I of the sofaunit, 8.

Th bed-bottom units 2| and 22 are likewise of the conventional angle barconstruction. whereon is secured the usual fabric 21 (see Fig. 6). Thebed-bottom section 2| in length is slightly less than the over-alllength of the supporting frame 20, whereas the bed-bottomsection 22 isapproximately equal to the length of thefmattress section l6 of theseatumta. Thesebed-bottom sections are hingedly connected togetherat 23,by means of brackets 28. and 2 9. One arm of each bracket is secured tothe. a p sed ends or the side members of the bed-bottom sectiOnS. 2| and22. The other arms of the brackets, are, offset so as to spaceapart thesections 2| and 2-2 at their hinged ends. when the seeuon are folded asshown in Fig. 5. The brackets. 29. each have an ear 30 integrally formedtherecn wheretois connected one or the links or the pos 'oi i-adjus't'ing mechanism 24 shortly to be described.

A pair of legs 3 are foldably s'e area near the outer end of thebed-bottom sect on 22 so. that in, their extended positioh'sthey supportthefree end of the bedrbotto'infsee p 22 in its coplanar position withthe bed-bot om, section 2|, when the latter is elevated. by. theactionof the positionadjusting mechanism 24.

The positionF-adjufsftii g "mechanism 24 comprises two pairs of links,32 and 33, one linkof each of which pairs is'connec'tedftoasynchronizing link 3'4 to, do 7 Lite 2. parallel linkage on either sideof t fe frame :20, and. a pair of actuating 1inks35, which t theelevating and lowering of the bfed b'o m. section 2| on the frame 20,when the air-xi ary bed .-bcttom section 22 is swung between itssuperimposed position over the bed-bottom sec (in 2|, and its. extendedcoplanar position therewith.

The pair Of links '32, atftheirlower ends, are rigidly connected inalignment to an equalizer rod 3& which is ournar eafat it'sfends inholes in the side's of the frame '20. At their upper ends, the links, 32have pivot pihs31 slidably supported in slots 38 formed: in theadjacent. ends. of the sides of the bed-"bottom section 2|. The pair oflinks 33, at their lowerenu are rigidly connected to an equalizer rod"39. which is. similarly journalled in the; sides of the. frame 20- and,at their upper ends, havepivot pins 4.3 s'lidably supported in slotsfll-for-m'e'd in the. sides of the bedbottom section 2,'|..

Rollers 4'2. and, 43,,ii'ioiihtedjon the-inner ends of the pivot pins 3]and 4.0, respectively engage the under face of theanglebai's, whichconstitute the sidejmmbersof the main bed-bottomv sec tion 2|, andfacilitate 'theinovementof the pivot pins in the slots 38 and 4| duringthe elevating and lowering of the bed-bottom section 2| through theaction; of the position-adjusting mechanism 24. I

The synchronizing linkf3'4. connects oneof the 4 links of the pair 32with one of the links of the pair 33 so that these links are caused tomove in unison under the influence of the actuating links 35.

The pair of bed-bottom-section actuatinglinks 35 are pivoted to the ears30 on the respective brackets 29 and to the pivot pins 31 for the pairsof links 32. Thus, the swinging-of the bedbottom section 22 on hinge 23causes the link 35 to pull or push the links 32 (and one of the links ofthe pair 33 through the medium of the synchronizing link 34). Thisresults in the raising and lowering of the bed-bottom section 2| as theauxiliary bed-bottom- 22 is swung between its folded position withrespect to the main bedbottom section 2| and their extended coplanarpositions. From Fig. 4 it will be noted that when the bed-bottomsections are in their coplanar positions a line through the pivots ofthe links 35 is disposed below the hinge 23. Accordingly, any weight onthe main bed-bottom section 2| cannot exert a force suificient tov causean upward swinging of the auxiliary bed-bottom 22' on its hinge 23.

A stabilizer bar 44; is. pivotally connected at 45 to the inner siderail' of the b ed-bottom section 2|, adjacent the end which ishinged at2 3 to the auxiliary section 22', and at tothe corresponding side bar ofthe frame 2(1; but at, the opposite end thereof. This stabilizing barserves to restrict the bed-bottom section 2| to vertical movementrelative to the supporting frame Z'Bas it is actuated by theDosition-adiustingmechanism 2 4.

The automatically-actuated latch means 25 comprises an arm '41 and anoperat ng lever 48 arranged on each ofthe two inner corners of thesupporting frame 20 adjacent. the side thereof which is directly opposedto the front of the sofa unit 8; when the trundle bed unit I0 isarranged for; converting the sofa and seat units into a bed; These partsare so. mounted, as will appear presently, that shoulders 49 on the arms41 are engageable between shoulders 50 and 5| (see Fig. 7); on thesupporting frame ll of the sofa. unit 8 whereb,y toanchor thetrundle-bed unit W at the side of the-sofa unit 8 when the bed-bottomsection 2| is. elevatedto convert the sofasand seat-units into a bed: i

As most clearly shown in Fig. 7, each of the arms 41 is connected to thesupporting frame 20 by means of apair of pins 52 and 53. operating in aslot '54. The slot, 54 is. provided with an offset .55; which isadaptedjto receive the pin 53 when the pin 52 is at the forward end ofthe slot 54 so as to permit the arm to automatically drop into a,positionto, perm t theJengagement of the shoulder '49; between theshoulders Bland 5|.

Whenever the pin, 53; depressed from the, offset 55 and the p n 521s.movedjaway from the end of the slot '54, -the arm 41, will be retainedin its horizontal, position. Such will be. the condition whenthe-,t'rundle-bed, unit Ill, is

pushed fully under the sofa unit 8 and thev shouldered ends of the arms41 strik'efthe back of the sofa unitframe,||.. The. shoulder 501s formedas the. result of cutting a notch '56. in

the side flange of a vertical, end, anglel'bar which constitutes a artof, the sofa frame |l. notch is of a heightslightly greaterthan theWidth of the arm 4] butv .is positioned .in the flange of the angle barslightly outofalinement with the arm 4] when in its horizontal position.This locatesithe upper end -ofthe ,shoulder; 50. in a positiontonormallyengage the shoulder 49 and limit the withdrawing movement of thetrundle-bed unit Hi from under the sofa unit 8.

However, by slightly raising the bed-bottom unit H1 at its inner cornersthe arms 8 could be brought into registration with the respectivenotches 56 so that the shoulders 49 could pass outwardly through thesenotches and the trundle-bed unit In could be moved away from the sofaunit for use as a bed section independently of the sofa and seat units 8and 9.

The shoulder 5| is formed by locating an angle bar 51 on the sofa unitframe H with the outer end of said angle bar opposed to but spacedslightly inward from the notched flange of the angle bar which forms theshoulder 50. This provides a space between the shoulders 50 and 5| intowhich the shoulder 49 drops when the arm 4! is allowed to occupy thetilted position shown in Fig. 7.

As will be shown most clearly in Fig. 6, the levers 48 are of angularform and pivoted at 58 so that the arms thereof parallel to the sides ofthe supporting frame 29 extended outwardly under the respective arms 41.The inner and angularly-disposed arms of the levers 48 extend inwardlyaway from the side bar of the supporting frame 20, to which the levers48 are pivoted so that the ends of these angularly-disposed arms extendunder the corresponding side bar of the bed-bottom section 2|. Thus theangular position of the arms 41, with regard to the end bars of thesupporting frame 20 to which they are pivoted, depends upon the positionof the bed-bottom section 2| with respect to the supporting frame 20.When the bed-bottom section 2| is in its folded or collapsed positionthe inner side rail thereof contacts the inwardlyextendingangularly-disposed arms of the levers 43 so as to elevate the outer endsof the arms 47 and dispose the shoulders 49 above and out of positionfor engagement with the shoulders 59 on the sofa frame II. On the otherhand, when the bed-bottom section 2| is elevated, as shown in Fig. 7,the arms 41 are normally actuated by gravity to bring the shoulders 49into a lowered position between the shoulders 59 and 5|.

The operation of these several units to convert them from adisassociated sofa and chair arrangement to a bed, and vice versa, isbriefly as follows.

The chair unit 9 is placed at the end of the sofa unit 3 to form a couchor davenport. Thereupon the trundle-bed unit In is withdrawn from underthe sofa unit 8 to a position immediately in front of the sofa unit 8.The trundle bed unit In reaches the limit of its forward or ,withdrawingmovement when the shoulders 49 on the arms 41 strike against theshoulders 50. This pulls the arms 41 outward so as to bring the pins 52to the ends of the slots 54 and locate the pins 53 in position to bereceived in the offsets 55 as the bed-bottom section 2| moves into itselevated position.

The auxiliary bed-bottom section 22 is thereupon swung on the hinge 23and the legs 3| swung outwardly to rest upon the floor. Such swinging ofthe bed-bottom section 22 causes the links 35 to elevate the links 32,which movement is communicated to the links 33 by the synchronizing bar44, whereupon the bedbottom section 2| is elevated to the position shownin Fig. 4. The upward movement of the bed-bottom section 2| releases thelevers 48 so that the shouldered ends of the arms 41 may drop andposition the shoulders 49 between the shoulders 50 and 5|. Consequently,the trundlebed unit If] is anchored at the front of the sofa and chairunits 8 and 9 against accidental displacement so long as the three unitsare associated for the formation of a bed.

The back cushions I8 and I8 are laid aside. The seat cushions I1 and Hare placed on the bed-bottom sections 2| and 22, as shown in Fig. 2. Theupper faces of the cushions l1 and I1 are disposed in the same plane asthe upper face of the mattress sections l6 and I6 of the sofa and chairunits 8 and 9 respectively. This makes a full-sized bed with practicallyno noticeable break in the upper surface thereof.

When the units are to be returned to normal sofa and chair use, thecushions I1 and II are replaced on the mattress sections of the sofa andchair units 8 and 9. The bed-bottom section 22 is then swung toaposition over the bed-bottom section 2|. This causes theposition-adjusting mechanism 24 to lower the bed-bottom section 2|. Asthe bed-bottom section 2| comes into its fully lowered position on thesupporting frame 20 it engages the levers 43, which causes a retractionof the arms 41 so as to raise the shoulders 49 above the shoulders 5|Thereupon the trundlebed unit may be returned to its stowed positionunder the sofa unit 8.

Variations and modifications in the details of structure and arrangementof the parts may be resorted to within the spirit and coverage of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sofa bed of the class described, the combination with a sofaframe mounting an upholstered section in spaced relationship to thefloor and having a plurality of cushions of predetermined thicknesssupported on said upholstered section for normal sofa use, of atrundle-bed unit movable between a position under the upholsteredsection of said sofa frame-and a position alongside the front thereof,said trundle-bed unit comprising a castered supporting frame, a mainbedbottom section, links supporting said main bedbottom section on saidframe to permit movement of said bed-bottom section between a loweredposition on said frame and a vertically-elevated position above saidframe at a height such as will dispose said sofa cushions when placed onsaid main bed-bottom section with the upper surface of said cushions inthe plane of the upper surface of said upholstered section, an auxiliarybedbottom section hinged to said main bed-bottom section and swingablebetween folded superimposed and extended coplanar positions with respectto said main bed-bottom section, a bedbottom section actuating-linkconnecting said auxiliary bed-bottom section to one of said links forsaid main bed-bottom section whereby the swinging of said auxiliarybed-bottom section automatically effects the elevating and lowering ofsaid main bed-bottom section on said frame, legs for supporting the freeend of said auxiliary bed-bottom section in coplanar disposition withsaid main bed-bottom section in its elevated position on said frame, anarm pivoted on said trundle-bed unitsupporting frame, a shoulder on saidarm engageable with shoulders on said sofa frame for anchoring saidtrundle bed unit in unshiftable position-at the front of said sofa, andmeans engageable by one of said bed-bottom sections when said sectionsare in their superimposed folded positions for shifting said arm toretract the shoulder thereon from engagement with the shoulders on saidsofa frame to permit movement of said trundle-bed unit relative to saidsofa-L '2. In a sofa bed of the class described, the combination with asofa frame mounting an upholst'er'e'd section in spaced relationship tothe floor and having a plurality of cushions of predetermined thicknesssupported on said upholstered section for normal sofa use, of atrundle-bed unit movable between a position under the upholsteredsection of said sofa frame and a position alongside the front thereof,said trundl'e bed unit comprising a castered supporting frame, a mainbedbottom section, links supporting said main bedbottom section on saidframe to permit movement of said bed-bottom section between a loweredposition o'n said frame and a vertically-elevated position above saidframe at a height such as will dispose said sofa cushions when placed onsaid main bed-bottom section with the upper surface of said cushions inthe plane of the upper surface of said upholstered section, an auxiliarybed bottom section hinged to said main bed-bottom section and swingablebetween folded superimposed and extended coplanar positions with respectto said main bed-bottom section, a bedbottom section actuating-linkconnecting said auxiliary bed-bottom section to one of said links forsaid main bed-bottom section whereby the swinging of said auxiliarybed-bottom section automatically elfects the elevating and lowering ofsaid main bed-bottom section on said frame, legs for supporting the freeend of said auxiliary bed-bottom section in coplanar disposition withsaid main bed-bottom section in its elevated position on said frame, apair of arms one of which is slidingly pivoted on each end of saidtrundlebed frame with the ends extending beyond the adjacentintermediate side of said frame, a shoulder on the end of each of saidarms each engageable with a shoulder on said sofa frame for anchoringsaid trundle-bed unit in unshifta'b1e pos'ition at the front of saidsofa, and a lever pivoted at each end of said adjacent intermediatetrundle-bed frame side in position to have one arm each of said leversengaging the adjacent shouldered arm and to have the other-lever armdisposed in a position to be engaged by said main b.edbottom-section inits folded or collapsed position whereby the engagement or disengagementof said arm shoulders with said sofa-frame shoulders is dependentuponthe unfolded orfolded relationship of saidbed-bottom sections; v

3. In combination with a sofa, a trundle' bed unit movable between aposition under said sofa and a position alongside of said sofa, saidtrundle-bed "unit comprising a supporting frama a main bed-bottomsection, links supporting said main bed-bottom section on said frametopermit movement of said bed-bottom section be tween a lowered positionon said frame and -a vertically-elevated positionabove said frame, anauxiliary bed-bottom section hinged to-said main bed-bottom section andswinga-blefbetween folded superimposed and extended coplanar positionswith respect to said main bed bottom section, a bed-bottom sectionactuating-link connecting said auxiliary bedbottom section-to one ofsaid links for said main bed-bottom section whereby the swinging of saidauxiliary bed-bottom section automatically effects the elevating andlowerin of said main bed-bottom section on said frame, legs forsupporting the free end of said nien of said trundle-bed unit relativeto said sofa.

4. In combination, a sofa'and a chair each having an arm rest at onlyone end thereof wherebysaid sofa and chair are adapted to be abuttedattheir other ends to-form an integral unit, said sofa and chaireach-having an upholstered section disposed at the same predeterminedheight abovethe floor and having a cushion of the same predeterminedthickness normally supported on said upholstered section to form a seat,a trundle-bed unit movable from a stowed position under the upholsteredsection of said sofa to a forwardly disposed position in juxtapositionwith the front of said sofa, said trundle-bed unit comprising a movablesupportin'gframe, a main bed-bottom section substantially co-extensivewith the width of said sofa, links supporting said main bed-bottomsection on said frame for movement from a lowered position to apredetermined elevated position, an auxiliary bed-bottom section oflength substantially equal to the width of said chair hinged to one endof said main 'bed bottom section and swingable from a superimposedposition on said main bed-bottom section to an extended positionco-planar with-said main bed-bottom section and in juxtaposition withthe front of said chair, an actuating link connecting said auxiliarybed-bottom section with one of said supporting links whereby theswinging of said auxiliary bedbottom section to said eo-planar extendedposition iseffeetive to raise-said main bed-bottom section to saidelevated position, and foldable legs on said auxiliary bed-bottomsection for supporting said auxiliary section in said extended position,said predetermined height and said predeter-mined thickness and saidpredetermined elevated position being such that when said cushions aredisposed upon said bed-bottom sections-the upper surfaces of saidcushions'are' substantially oo-planar with the upper surfaces of saidupholstered sections to form therewith a u rii-tarybed.- A

' EDWARD E. NVOLLFJR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

V Y *UNITED s'rA'rns PATENTS

